Chapter 7

Neil checked the time on his watch, and stayed hidden. If Kat was going to leave him, she was going to do it in a pine box. Neil just hoped that the foolish Marine he had hired, got the job done. The Marine had been back in the states for a few months now and was hard up for cash. So when Neil approached him about doing a job for him, he jumped at the chance. For him it was an easy $5000.00, he'd be able to catch up on rent, and put food on his table. For Neil, coming for a well-to-do family, $5000.00 was pocket change. To him, the Marine agreeing to only do 'the job' for that price was a steal. Seeing the familiar figure of the Marine coming towards him, Neil stepped out of the shadows.

The Marine was timed, "I did it sir, I hit the car. I ditched the pickup where you told me too." His heart was racing, he knew how much trouble he could be in if he got caught, but he was desperate for the cash.

Neil nodded his head, "well least one good thing will come out of this day. It's too bad for you that today won't be as good of a day for you." Without another word, he pulled out a gun with a silencer attached. Pulling the trigger he watched the Marine drop to the ground. A single gunshot wound to the head was all it took. This was exactly why he picked such a private area, no witnesses. Last thing Neil needed was the public seeing cop committing a crime. Now he had to dispose of the body, and he was going to do it just like the others. Though just like the others Neil was going to need help for that. Neil wasn't an expert on fire, but he knew someone who was. Too bad Katrina had no idea that her very own captain was partly responsible for the past fires. Neil killed them, and Captain Wellington burned the bodies. Neil needed someone who knew fire and how to set them without messing it up. Neil could remember Kat saying something about firefighters being the best fire starters. She was definitely right about that one.

After dragging the Marine's lifeless body into his SUV, Neil covered it up to make it look like he was hauling trash, which he might as well be. To Neil, someone who could commit murder for $5000.00 was as useless as trash. He looked down at his pants and sighed, he really hadn't planned on getting dirty today. Obviously he was going to have to swing home and take a shower before paying a visit to Captain Wellington.

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The lights blurred in with each other, as Katrina lay strapped to a gurney while medics pushed her through the bright and narrow hallway of the Emergency Room. "MY DOG!" Katrina. "Is Blaze ok?" She saw Ziva's head above her.

"Blaze is in my car. He is ok." Ziva reassured Katrina, giving her hand a squeeze.

She pulled the oxygen mask off of her face. "His vet, the card is in my wallet. Can you take him there just to be safe? Please?" Tears rolled down her cheeks as Ziva placed the mask back over Katrina's face.

"I will take him when Gibbs' gets here. He is on his way." Ziva spoke softly to her. "Just try to relax Kat, ok?"

Katrina sighed to herself. Ziva called Gibbs, and Kat was sure everyone else would follow. She didn't want to attract anymore attention then she already had.

The doctor put his hand out. "Miss, you can't go any further. You'll have to wait here."

Ziva nodded and watched as the gurney that Kat was on disappeared behind two large steel doors, with TRAUMA written across it. She knew Kat was scared and Ziva couldn't blame the girl. From what the rescue squad had said, Kat was very lucky. Had she not been wearing her seat belt, she wouldn't made it out alive.

"Ziva!"

Turning around to the sound of her name, Ziva saw Gibbs approaching with both Tony and McGee on his flank. "How is she?" She could see the look of worry across the older mans face, but mixed in that look was anger and outrage.

"She's awake, but in obvious pain. The medics said that her arm is broken and that she might have a head injury. They were not sure. They just took Kat into there," she pointed back towards the trauma room." They did tell me that if Kat had not been wearing her seatbelt, she would be dead. Katrina asked that I take Blaze to the vet to make sure that he is ok as well. He is in my car right now. May I go and do that?"

"In a moment yeah. What happened?" Gibbs asked Ziva.

"Katrina was starting through the intersection, the light had turned green. Then this pickup truck, it came charging through and plowed into her. He then took off. But I did get a look at him and I did get his plate Gibbs." It wasn't until now that Ziva realized how upset she was, but she was Mossad, she couldn't show show any emotion. "He had Maryland plates; GR5 72S4." She rambled off the plate, still struggling to keep herself together.

Tony could see the distraught look in Ziva's eyes. He knew that she was upset, and that she was fighting to keep herself from losing it.

"Is Kat going to be ok?" McGee finally quipped.

"I think so, yes." Ziva turned to him. "She is more worried about her dog than she is about herself. But she was…" Ziva was trying to think. "What is it when someone is…OH! Liquid! Yes Kat was Liquid."

Tony cracked a small smile. "Lucid Zee-Vah," he corrected her.

"About her dog Gibbs, may I-" Getting a nod from Gibbs Ziva turned and headed down the hallway towards the parking lot. Tony wasn't far behind. She felt his hand on her arm.

"Are you ok?" his voice was filled with worry and concern for her.

"I am a lot better than Katrina is. Tony it was horrible. That truck was so big, and the crash was so loud. He did not even try to stop. It was almost as if he wanted to hit Kat. Like he was just waiting for Kat to come by just so he could hit her. Then when I got to her car and she did not respond to her name. I was scared, I thought she was dead Tony."

"But she's not, it's ok Zi. Kat's going to be ok." He held her hand for a second. "Kat is a pretty strong girl, I mean teach her some of your ninja skills and she'll be a deadly weapon." He was hoping to put Ziva's mind at ease, and allow her to relax a little.

Ziva looked into Tony's eyes and she could feel a sense of relief. "Here," she pulled out her wallet and handed Tony some money. "Get something for Kat in the gift shop, tell her it is from me…oh and Blaze. She would like that, yes?"

Tony took the cash from Ziva and nodded. "She would. Any idea of what you would like me to get her?" He watched as Ziva thought for a moment.

"One of those stuffed animals, yeah a bear or something." She squeezed Tony's hand as he nodded. "I better go and take Blaze to the vet."

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It was about an hour or so later when Kat was finally able to have visitors, and she wasn't surprised when she saw Gibbs walk in, following behind him were DiNozzo and McGee. "Blaze!" She quickly sat up and wished she hadn't.

"Hey, easy!" Gibbs said. "Relax. Ziva took him to the vet like you asked." He had damn good investigative skills and knew Katrina was in pain. "For now you need to relax and get some rest."

"Someone needs to call Neil," she heard a snort coming from Tony and ignored it. "He needs to know I'm here." Kat shot Tony a look. "Can someone please call him, his number is in my cell."

Gibbs was almost certain that if Tony did it, the results wouldn't be pretty. "I can do it, but you need your rest. Doctor said you had some cracked ribs and a pretty nasty concussion. They wanna keep you over night." The reaction in Kat's face told Gibbs that the doctors probably were not going to get their wishes and would have to fight with Kat.

"Over my dead body." Kat growled. "No way, I'm signin' myself out of this damn place. I refuse to stay here. Once I know my dog is ok, an' Ziva has him back here I'm signin' out, even if it has to be AMA."

"I'll talk to the doctor." It was better to agree with her at this point than disagree. He was pretty sure even if he told Kat she had to stay she would only sign herself out. Gibbs also figured that she might be able to relax and rest better in a more comfortable surrounding. "I'll go call Neil." He took the cell phone from Kat.

"Don' yell at 'im Agent Gibbs. I wanna, I need to work out his issues myself an' I don' need no one makin' it worse. Please." Her green eyes pleaded with him. "Jus' tell 'im I'm here, I'm ok, nothin' more, nothin' less."

"Nothing more, nothing less." Gibbs smiled at her taking Katrina's BlackBerry. He scrolled through her contacts until he saw Neil's name and hit send.

Tony watched as Gibbs' exited the room. "So uh well," he held up a stuffed Dalmatian, the dog had a plastic balloon in its mouth which had GET WELL written across it. "This is from Ziva and Blaze, but I already took the liberty of naming him." He caught a glance from Katrina and she didn't seem amused.

"Let me guess, Sparky?"

"Ha, no. McGee." Tony smiled at McGee only to get a less than happy look from him. "Aw come Probie you don't like the name?"

"That's not funny Tony."

"Yeah, Tony really. He's you co-worker." Katrina replied taking the toy from Tony. "He is cute though, both McGee's." She winked at him and smiled. Katrina was pleased to see Tim smiled back at her. "Don't let Tony get to you, he's over compensating" She told McGee to come closer. "It's for what he lacks in his pants." McGee laughed a bit.

"I heard that you two and for your information, when measuring it, I need a yardstick; thank you very much. You may be all about wrangling the McGoo's hose, but you couldn't handle the big D!" Tony said beaming with confidence. "Not that I would let you, 'cause the T man is in love."

"What's her name this time Tony?" Tim asked.

"Her name, McGee, is mind you own business." Tony retorted tossing a peanut, from the small bag he had bought in the gift shop, at McGee's head. "What happens in the DiNozzo bedroom, stays in the DiNozzo bedroom."

When Gibbs returned to the room he handed Katrina her cell. "I called him, and he is on his way over. He seemed real worried. Wanted to know if you were ok, asked about your dog, and wanted to know if you needed something." He got a smile from Katrina. "I called him for you, doesn't mean I like him, 'cause I don't. He stopped being a man as soon as he laid a hand on you. He's a boy, a weak and cowardly little boy." Gibbs sat down in a chair.

"You're not gunna sit here while he's here are you Agent Gibbs?"

He saw the questionable look in the young girls eyes. "I am, because my gut tells me too."

"His gut never lies." There was a look of satisfaction in Tony's eyes.

"Don' get no ideas DiNozzo, I may allow Gibbs' to stay, I may not like it, but I'm not dumb enough to fight it. You, however, are leavin' this room. I don' need your attitude towards 'im makin' things worse."

"What? Me? I just want to introduce myself to him, that's all. I just want dear old Neil to know who I am." The look from Kat made him back off. "Ok I won't stay in the room. Besides I have better things to do anyways. Like get some fires or pizza or something. I am starving."

Twenty minuets had passed and Neil hurried into Katrina's room. "Are you ok?" He kissed the top of her head, and held her hand. "Thank you Agent Gibbs for calling."

"No problem." He watched the man with Katrina and everything in his body told him he was bad news, it was hard for him not to show this punk what happens when you hit women. But Gibbs had made a promise to Katrina, and he planned on keeping it. Now if Gibbs were to accidently follow him home, and Neil was have his nose accidently broken, then that would be ok. It would all be an accident.

"I'm fine Neil. Just some cracked ribs, broken arm, an' three stitches. Doc is gunna let me go home in a few hours. He's not happy, but he doesn't have a choice. But I'm ok." He kissed her forehead once more.

"I love you, I love you so much." He could hear a low growl coming from Tony.

"DINOZZO!" Gibbs shouted. "I thought you were leaving?" He watched as Tony pushed himself off the wall and exited the room. Gibbs could see Tony wasn't happy about it either.

"I'm gunna get help, I'm sorry I hurt you. I love you so much and I don't want to lose you pumpkin." He rested his forehead on her shoulder. "I love you so much."

Gibbs was finding it harder and harder to keep that promise, as his gut was telling him more and more that this guy was nothing but bad news.

"I gotta go to work though, you want me to come back and get you when they release you?" Neil asked watching Katrina shake her head no. "I don't mind, really I don't."

"No it's ok Neil, I'm ok, I'll be fine. I can get a ride." She looked into his eyes. "Ok?"

"Will you be coming home tonight?"

Kat's eyes scanned over to Gibbs. Shaking his head Katrina shook hers. "No, I can't not just yet. You understand right? But soon babe, I promise. I'll be home soon." Katrina kissed his forehead and she had no idea she was kissing the monster who was responsible for her being here. "I love you an' I'll call you later." She heard his disappointed sigh and felt his lips on hers.

"I love you and if you need anything, anything at all you call me." He had to play the devoted fiancé. He had to make those fed believe he loved her, and he cared about her. He could let them on to him and his game. No, that would ruin everything, and what fun would that be?

"I will babe, love you too." Watching him go she waited to the door closed. "I can't stay at your house forever Agent Gibbs."

"No, but I still don't trust him. When he's actually getting help then you can go home, until then, while he has guns in the house, you're staying at my place."

"That's gunna get old real fast Agent G." She swung her feet off the bed. "I gotta use the bathroom, alone." She knew he was going to want to help. "I can handle it, I'm not crippled Agent Gibbs." She took slow and cautious steps, across her room and out the door, stopping in the doorway she turned towards Gibbs. "Don' follow me." She instructed Gibbs. "Please." Closing the door behind her, she started the slow walk towards the bathroom she was just about to round the corner when she saw Tony with Neil. Oh this can't be good. Staying out of sight, she listened.

"If you ever, so much as harm a hair on her head, trust me when I say I will make you wish I didn't. This isn't a joke, I happen to know a very good, no make that great Forensic scientist, who could make your untimely death look like an accident. I also know the best computer geek ever, who can make it look as if you never existed. No one will know. You're lucky that you have a girl like her. Ones like her, they don't come around very often. Kat, she's a good kid, and she's damn good at what she does. You got yourself a great catch Officer Vahonic, and she doesn't deserve to be treated like that. She isn't your personal punching bag."

Kat could hear Neil smirk, looking around the corner she watched as Tony pushed him back into the wall; hard. "Do you understand me Officer Vahonic? See my girl friend, well it appears she really cares about Katrina, and my guess is they are friends." Tony laughed. "She's a ninja, trained by Mossad, she can kill you with a paperclip and I know she won't have any problems doing it." Ziva is Tony's girlfriend? Tony patted Neil on the shoulder. "Oh and have a great day Officer Vahonic."

When Katrina knew Neil was gone, she started back towards the bathroom. "Oh Tony, hey!" She tried to play it cool.

"Where are you off to? Running away from Gibbs won't work, he'll find you."

"I'm jus' usin' the restroom DiNozzo, not runnin' from no one." She sighed as DiNozzo took her arm, helping her to the bathroom, after what she had just heard him say Kat didn't have the heart to tell him no. Katrina nodded towards the elderly man with a walker. "lets see if he wants to race." She smirked.

Tony laughed a bit. "I think Special Agent Gibbs wouldn't approve of that, besides that old man looks like he could seriously kick our asses if he lost, he's harvesting some major road rage, or in his case it would be walker rage." He guided her to the bathroom. "In any case, I say you just take it easy for now."

Kat stopped in front of the door that was marked women's and rolled her eyes at Tony. "Oh yeah because this walk to the bathroom, all 50 feet of it, was so hard."

"I'll wait here."

Katrina wasn't surprised to see Tony still waiting for her when she came out of the bathroom and she was even less surprised when he offered his arm to her; again. "So this girl friend, she must be pretty special if you don't mention her name." She could see Tony's eyes light up and his face brighten it was actually rather sweet. "Wow DiNozzo, you have it bad. That's good though, I'm happy for you. Does this special lady know about how The Big D feels about her?"

"No, only because the Big D is really intimidated by her. I mean she is smoking hot, and amazing, but she sorta scares me. She has these crazy ninja skills…" he was still glowing. "I am not sure though, that she feels the same way about me." He stopped outside of her room.

"You really should tell her DiNozzo, life is way too short not too."

Tony just nodded in reply as he thought about what Kat had told him. "Hey boss, look what I found in the hallways." He walked through the room and helped Katrina to her bed.

"The strays always follow me-" she stopped. "BLAZE!" Katrina smiled widely seeing the pooch on her bed. "He's ok?" She turned to Ziva then petted her dog

She watched as the dog wagged his tail and kissed Katrina. "His vet said that Blaze is just fine." Ziva reassured Katrina who still looked very worried about her four-legged friend. "I see Tony gave you your gift and McGee told me what Tony named him."

Kat slowly slid into her bed. "Yeah thanks Ziva." He patted Blazes' head. "You to buddy."

"Oh and Gibbs Abby called me at least a dozen times, asking about Katrina."

"She's called me too Boss." McGee piped up. "Maybe you should call her?"

Katrina had her cell phone out and held it out in front of her to take a picture of herself. She made sure to display the peace sign. Once the flash went off she quickly started typing. 'I'M OK DON'T WORRY. C U LATA' She hit send. "Ok Abby should know now." She smiled back at McGee.

"Or Katrina can just tell Abby herself." McGee srugged.

"Whatever works." Gibbs replied. It wasn't long before he heard Katrina's cell phone going off and could see her smiling a bit and again quickly typing.

'I AM STAYING GIBBS' Y?' Katrina hit send, and in a few moments had another reply, she lifted her head. "Abby wants to know if she can spend the night your house?"

"Why?" Gibbs asked confusion written.

"I don't know. She didn't say."

"Fine whatever." Gibbs growled. He knew Abby wouldn't give up until he said yes anyways, this way it was easier. Again he heard Katrina's cell phone going off. "Whatever happened to using the phone to talk? That's why it was invented." Gibbs shook his head sipping his coffee.

Katrina just shrugged and was typing away again.

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Neil walked into Captain Wellington's office. "I have another job for you. Actually I have two. Need your help cleaning up a mess, same price as always. I am willing to triple that price if you help me out with something else."

Captain Wellington shook his head. "Your girl ain't stupid Jason, she's gunna catch on. She's gunna find out your real name isn't Neil Vahonic and that's it Jason Blackwell and she's gunna pin you for them fires. She's good at her job. You gunna get caught. How the force hasn't found out your real identity by now I'll never know."

"Nope 'cause you're gunna kill her, you'll have to make it look like an accident." He could tell by the expression on the fat short mans face he was shocked.

"I'm gunna what? No way! I'm not gunna do anything like that. Bad enough I've done what I have done for you Jason." He protested. His eyes followed Neil watching him pick up a framed photograph off of his desk.

"It would be a shame if something happened to your granddaughter, her name is Caylee right?" He put the picture down. "She goes to that grade school on Elm?"

"FINE!" He threw his hands up. "Quadruple the price and we have a deal. It may take a while though, I mean stuff like this, it just can't happen right away. I have to plan it out, it's going to have to be big." He couldn't believe he was going to do this.

Neil wrote an address down and handed it to him. "There is a pickup there, burn it and burn the body in it."

Captain Wellington looked at him. "Did you cause the accident?" Word of Katrina's accident had already spread through the firehouse.

"If the bitch wants to leave me, she's gunna leave me, but it will be in a pine box. Call me when the first job is done, and if you do a good enough job," he slid him another piece of paper with a large sum of money on it. "Then that's what I will give you for offin' the bitch. I want that job done right and I want it too look good. If other people have to die then so be it, trust me when I say I will make it worth your while." He watched the man look at the paper and his eyes widen at the sum. "Think about it." With that he exited the room.